Great video, Chris. Spent many hours in the hills up and down Route 49. My advice: Stay below 3,500 feet, consider checking the valley adjacent to the foothills (just west of the foothills). One town had black gold (coated with manganese) and early miners discarded it and processors didn't want to deal with it. This area of black gold was later covered by the ocean (salt water) which caused placer gold to be coated. This town did not permit hydraulic or the large dredges, so the gold is still there. Some day the government will hopefully change and dredging will be allowed, again. Love your willingness to mention specific areas!
@@mayhulk7514 I would suggest looking 15+ miles north of Auburn (Dry Creek was named because it had no gold, not because it was "dry".) The farther north you go, the better. I had a bad experience with a cougar up there panning a stream alone at dusk, so get a CCW permit if you plan to prospect alone, and carry protection. If you hike upstream from a road, look for river rounded pebbles high on the bank on both sides of the stream as you hike. Then follow that gravel up the hill and sample as you go. Remember, panning is mainly for prospecting, not mainly for harvesting. You might also want to drive around Placerville, and look for a new construction in the early stages of digging a basement. Ask a worker if you can have a few scoops of deep dirt and take it home to pan it out. Don't throw away unusual looking "black sand" that may look like black gold flakes or nuggets. That area was covered by ocean water eons ago and manganese coated some of the gold. Some local residents hit salt water when digging a well in that area. Good luck, Route 49 is an interesting area. p.s. You will always find color at Bear River Camp Grounds outside of Colfax. It has been worked thousands of times, but flood gold (newly deposited) flakes can be found at the upstream point of sand and gravel bars. You can't stake a claim there, however.
Absolutely fantastic job Sir as a novice I've watched almost every single video of yours & my 1st time out I was able to find the shiny & I honestly believe that's because of your teaching ability & knowledge. I plan on getting your book "Fist full of Gold" as soon as I can, thanks so very much for sharing your wealth of information good Sir!
Auburn rec has so many great places to find gold and good gold. Same with the yuba area. My two favorite areas for sure. Side note theres a small lode trend in the northeast with almost identical geology and trademarks of the gold 👍🏻
@@ChrisRalph informational videos are my favorite to watch , you never know when someone can see something different then yourself or possibly over looked something. I started off prospecting from the inside out verses finding it in the river trying to figure out where it came from. Geology will always be the number 1 tool I use 👍🏻⛰⛏🇺🇸
Thanks for the excellent information....😄 Have been watching videos on prospecting for a few years , so far have gotten more information from your videos than all the rest put together.... Really appreciate it ! Thanks again...
I apprciate your videos. when i was young i lived in Sacramento and bought the cmj all the time! never found the glory hole but its fun to get out anyway! after watching this again I wanted to add I watched a video where the focus was on highway 49 and how it closely paraleled old rivers and were capped with lava. Much of that is still untouched.
I pick up a 4 gram nug back in the early 90s still have it. Didn't even get the pan wet. Did lots of dedging in El Do Co. Show me the Nuggets!!! I love the forgotten spots in the area. The Sierra was my back yard.
I'm going on two weeks vacation in February and plan on taking my new Harley Breakout on a roadtrip from Beaumont, Tx to Northern California to do a little panning. I hope to find some gold but honestly I just want to get away from civilization for a bit, do some S.O.T.A. activations, camping and a little bit of panning. I need some serious R&R!
Holy sheets! This is exactly the video I was hoping you’d have made! This is my hometown and these surrounding counties and districts are my stomping grounds! You truly are a master of gold knowledge and information like no one I’ve ever heard from before! Man, thank you for taking the time to do all these videos! You are a GREAT Teacher and very understandable as well as fun to listen to😬You make this stuff even more interesting just by your demeanor alone. How can I ever thank you enough??? I can’t and never will be able to but thanks 🙏 Millions of times over ! You are like a Mr.Miyagi and I’m like Daniel-San! Domo- arragato!
I thought this would be a very popular video when I made it, but instead very few people seem interested. I was going to make a series of them but the low popularity put an end to that. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
I have found gold in san diego it's all over the place I was going to the fallbrook gem and mineral society and saw a creek couple scoops of dirt with a spoon in the ten inch pan wash ,swirl ,wash ,swirl ,wash and saw some little yellow specs even though I stopped the water swirling the little yellow specs did a perfect 90 degree drop (GOLD) anything else would keep swirling around in the pan it's every where boss maybe not as much as you want but everywhere in california 1/3 way through the book
Shasta county is my home county. Now living in Indiana. Bummed I didn’t get into prospecting or even becoming interested before I moved. Thank goodness my entire family is still there so I can visit. I love this! French gulch had a bunch of amazing mining history plaques before the many fires. Good vid.
B.T.W. Love your videos and thank you for your selfless instructional videos, I will be buying some of your books as soon as I head home in the next month or two. I pray that you have an awesome and Happy Thanksgiving, take care and God's speed!
Great content. You just got a new subscriber. Im an entrepreneur and do a very large amount of cache hunting here in the Midwest. Im in Indiana. Even for someone like me who is very interested in stuff like this it’s hard to get a feel for what the current prospecting climate is and what opportunities are still plentiful. This was really enlightening and made me start to seriously think about adding some well planned prospecting trips out to California. Thanks
Been doing a lot of looking around the backside of Georgetown ( I live and have a life time of prospecting the southern side of the divide ) the " Oxbow " convergence has some real interesting old workings in the canyon. Found better gold on that side...
I am so glad you posted this video your videos are so awesome you really going to detail I've learned so much from you I've also wanted to know where did you go to school for your mining engineering degree I'm looking to enroll sometime in the next year or so I'm currently on a trip right now from Huntington Beach California to Coeur d'Alene Idaho and I have been prospecting the whole way up and I have really used this video to find spots to go and find gold you have been so helpful I couldn't tell you how much gold that you actually got me especially on this trip I just left mineral bar and I'm heading up to the north fork of the yuba River if it wasn't for this video I wouldn't have a clue but some of the best gold I have found on this trip surprisingly were when I pulled over to sleep in my truck I didn't realize I was next to the American River I pulled out my detector and I found a monster 4 to 6 oz nugget literally right outside my driver door 6 in under the ground it goes to show you prospect no matter where you are if your feet are on the ground you should prospect me I've had some thoughts about your videos you said that you were going to do more States Coeur d'Alene Idaho has been known to produce some pretty good goals nothing on the scale of California but enough to get Wyatt Earp and countless others to step foot into Idaho they had people filing claims on ground without even looking and because of the snow and where the markers were there were people filing claims on top of claims because they had heard that there was gold just tossed throughout the fields and that it was loaded there's a lot of tragic history in Wallace Idaho I'm sure you might be familiar of mine collapses in the silver mines I was a kid when they collapsed on different occasions one of my friends had Dad's and stuff that worked in there a lot of great history that shouldn't be forgotten I'll be in Coeur d'Alene for the next at least few months possibly make a permanent residence again if you're ever in the area feel free to contact me my email is bjohns7489@gmail.com if you email me I'll give you my number keep up the good work and always remember no matter where you are prospecting. Prospector Johns
I grew up in Downey - not far from Huntington Beach. Started college at Long Beach State. I got my degree in Mine Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno. That part of the university is now called the Mackey school of Earth Sciences and Engineering.
Very informative! It’s great that you illustrate your video with maps! Is it necessary to look for mining claims on these mining dumps and bench gravels?
Can I pan for gold on creeks and rivers of public land like National Forest and BLM? And is there a website to reference to figure out if someone has a claim already somewhere?
Not all public lands, but most National Forest and BLM. Mining claim law is a whole topic unto itself, I have videos on that, you should watch them. My first recommendations are to read my book, and join a prospecting club in your area.
Hi Chris. I just purchased a home in Valley Springs CA. It borders the calaveras river maybe a couple of miles down stream of Hogan lake. Looking forward to prospecting the property once we get keys in hand. I'm purchasing your book on Amazon tonight. Maybe we can meet up sometime. Thank you for your hard work and sharing your knowledge. Daniel.
Hello Daniel, I am in Modesto CA. I bought a gold detector and been looking for friends to go out gold detecting and prospecting. Let me know if you would be interested. Thanks 😊
Be prepared to find a lot of nails and bullets. Private property and gold mine claims are always a major issue. By the way, I called Malakaoff Diggins State Park they said nope can’t take anything out of the park. I know this comment is negative; it’s just been my experience. Hopefully with this book and a little effort you’ll have much more success than I have. Good luck.
A number of places on the internet say there is an area along Humbug Creek where panning is allowed. With that said, sometimes rules do change. On top of that, its been my experience that you ask 5 park employees the same question and you get 5 different answers. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Just found your channel and I really enjoy it! Would you have any tips on prospecting the north fork of the stanislaus river above Arnold CA? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, stay safe, and have a wonderful day!
If this is real gold, then I threw many in childhood while fetching firewood playing within the rocks. My grandmother told me that's what their parents used for making mola for engagement I can't remember those place
@@ChrisRalph I wish I could send you pictures but it won’t allow me for some reason is there an email I can send you I really don’t know what to do Chris I think I need to go to the county and fill out a claim because this is unreal I mean this is unreal I mean you can come over and share this with me this is just unreal I think it’s one of those hard rock discoveries I’m just blown away right now I haven’t even scratch the surface I’m just like staring at it and picking up huge pieces of gold I shit you not I wish I could send a picture when I try to do is I’ll try to put it on TH-cam
I get huge numbers of people every day who want me to get involved with their project and help them, teach them, advise them, etc. I have many projects and family commitments of my own and cannot respond to all the people who ask for my time. I am just too busy. I wish you the best of luck but I cannot get involved.
Chris I have bought your book and it very informative and teaches the right way to the beginner which I am I'm retired now have been looking for something to fill days do you have any physical classes ortours
No question about it - there is gold in a few places not as many as in the Sierra Nevada. Do some reseach and find that there was gold mined from the beach sands. The Los Burros gold district was very productive and is in southwestern Monterey County in the Santa Lucia Mountains. It is about 80 miles south of Monterey and four miles east of Cape San Martin. Download a copy of GOLD DISTRICTS OF CALIFORNIA, By William B. Clark BULLETIN 193. You can find free, downloadable copies by researching on Google. You can find more information in that publication.
Hello sir sorry to bother you but I found a huge vien of quartz that has a lot of clusters of what looks like the same color as silver,do you know what this might be?Thank you for your time. .
If you are a raw newbie with no assets and no experience prospecting, the answer is no, just not possible. On the other hand, I make a good living based on my prospecting income.
Well, the faults I mentioned conduct the mineral bearing fluids upward to where they cool and form veins and gold deposits.So I don't think conductive is the wrong word.
I'm from California and growing up everytime I found "gold" my papa and mama would say it's "Fools gold" but it's in the areas you say are high gold. How do I tell the difference and have I been the fool 😂
Hey Chris new subscriber here. Iam planning a trip to Arizona in December could you give me a little help on finding a good spot to metal detect. I will be in the Salome area but I can drive all over. Thank you.
Mr. Smartpants.... I retired from work at 50 yrs old... I never need to work again, and I know more than you are trying to assume I do.... keep that great attitude as a youtuber...typical, can't handle a little critical comment well... Lmao
And still you think you need to have the last comment... I was ok with your video, until it became a commercial for Amazon books & a website... If you wanna do a youtube video on your website or Amazon books seperate, fine.. You will not have the last comment
It’s all claimed up there in 2022, even the old hydraulic pits, Covid gold rush I guess 🙄 I stayed with family in Folsom the summer of 96’, was working the pits above Nevada City .. and was finally driven out by mosquitos, pulled a 3gm nugget out of a pit and said screw it .. the torture from the bugs .. even wearing a REI mosquito net hat that covered my face .. just was not worth it anymore 😡 lol.
You are just wrong. Is it all claimed up? NO. But I agree if you just want to sit around and take it easy, this is not an activity for couch potatoes. The sun is hot, sometimes there are mosquitoes, sometimes you have to hike and climb around. Digging up a large number of targets can hurt your back. Its hard work - not easy riches.
The people of California duly elected the whack job officials who set the laws. It's what the majority want. The big coastal cities are heavily democratic.,
There are a couple of YT videos that you can find tiny traces of gold dust in the gutters of the jewelry district in NYC. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Brother, you drive a car, burn fossil fuel to heat your house and cook, you own a cell phone and use it, consume power from the electric companies, wear clothes made of plastics and other synthetics that come from oil in the ground. What a hypocrite! Go back to living like it was 500 BC, and then tell me I ought to leave the land be. You are the one who is paying all the bills for the mines , big oil, big pharma, etc - you pay them to produce the products you condemn!
Another solid video! I cant help but continue to watch video after video. Thank you for your countless time producing them! Would love to mine with you sometime!
Omg omg I think you will know about this find and history will definitely record this I am still in so much shock I want to see if I can send you a picture of just a couple of the samples I haven’t even we got into one layer everything I got to get a claim oh my God do you want to hear about this you wanna know oh Chris I don’t know how to thank you for your authenticity and your honesty and your knowledge and you’re just greatness I listen to you Yeah you’re gonna want to hear about this one man I am still in shock man I am still in shock I’m gonna see if I can send you a picture and kind of off the grid kind of off the grid Chris
Learning to do research on land status and potential areas to prospect is a whole skill in itself that would take many hours to learn. I have a video on claim staking and will do more on this but doing research is a big topic to learn. That's why for new guys I recommend joining a club to get you started. Here is my video on claim staking: th-cam.com/video/1OSzRh1Da74/w-d-xo.html
Hi Chris, I live in Paradise CA... Im not sure where you are located but I sure am glad I found this video! I just recently found my passion for finding crystals & that is what brought me to your channel! I've always known I had a more than normal attraction to earth science & nature's history under our feet! THANK YOU💖
By the way (btw) My mother has 6 acres in Loomis CA. Her property has ancient indian grinding stones which are huge granite boulders buried with the tops exposed, which were noticeably used for grinding. Do you have any info regarding these ancient sites? 💖
I knew a women in that area. She worked for my father. she was indian and had quite a few goats. she had many huge granite boulders on her property.I seem to recall she lived near Loomis Penryn area. @@nikkilovesrocks
Great video, Chris. Spent many hours in the hills up and down Route 49. My advice: Stay below 3,500 feet, consider checking the valley adjacent to the foothills (just west of the foothills). One town had black gold (coated with manganese) and early miners discarded it and processors didn't want to deal with it. This area of black gold was later covered by the ocean (salt water) which caused placer gold to be coated. This town did not permit hydraulic or the large dredges, so the gold is still there. Some day the government will hopefully change and dredging will be allowed, again. Love your willingness to mention specific areas!
Believe it or not, I've found loads of gold at elevations above 5000 ft! Glad you enjoyed the video.
I own a placer mine at 5250' elevation. It is a tertiary channel mine and has large reserves of gold - several hundred thousand ounces.
@@mayhulk7514 I would suggest looking 15+ miles north of Auburn (Dry Creek was named because it had no gold, not because it was "dry".) The farther north you go, the better. I had a bad experience with a cougar up there panning a stream alone at dusk, so get a CCW permit if you plan to prospect alone, and carry protection. If you hike upstream from a road, look for river rounded pebbles high on the bank on both sides of the stream as you hike. Then follow that gravel up the hill and sample as you go. Remember, panning is mainly for prospecting, not mainly for harvesting. You might also want to drive around Placerville, and look for a new construction in the early stages of digging a basement. Ask a worker if you can have a few scoops of deep dirt and take it home to pan it out. Don't throw away unusual looking "black sand" that may look like black gold flakes or nuggets. That area was covered by ocean water eons ago and manganese coated some of the gold. Some local residents hit salt water when digging a well in that area. Good luck, Route 49 is an interesting area. p.s. You will always find color at Bear River Camp Grounds outside of Colfax. It has been worked thousands of times, but flood gold (newly deposited) flakes can be found at the upstream point of sand and gravel bars. You can't stake a claim there, however.
@@maranti34b bad ass!! I'd like to detect that area!!! Salty Army style!!!
hydraulic mining kinda makes a mess of the countryside and the creeks and rivers.
Chris, You have a great way of coming up with good content ... Well done !
Glad you enjoyed the video. Too cold now to get out into the gold country.
Absolutely fantastic job Sir as a novice I've watched almost every single video of yours & my 1st time out I was able to find the shiny & I honestly believe that's because of your teaching ability & knowledge. I plan on getting your book "Fist full of Gold" as soon as I can, thanks so very much for sharing your wealth of information good Sir!
Awesome, thank you!
Auburn rec has so many great places to find gold and good gold. Same with the yuba area. My two favorite areas for sure.
Side note theres a small lode trend in the northeast with almost identical geology and trademarks of the gold 👍🏻
Yep, there are a series of semi-parallel gold belts in the CA mother lode country. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph informational videos are my favorite to watch , you never know when someone can see something different then yourself or possibly over looked something. I started off prospecting from the inside out verses finding it in the river trying to figure out where it came from. Geology will always be the number 1 tool I use 👍🏻⛰⛏🇺🇸
Thanks for the excellent information....😄 Have been watching videos on prospecting for a few years , so far have gotten more information from your videos than all the rest put together.... Really appreciate it ! Thanks again...
Glad to help, I have plenty of others and will be making more in the future.
I apprciate your videos. when i was young i lived in Sacramento and bought the cmj all the time! never found the glory hole but its fun to get out anyway! after watching this again I wanted to add I watched a video where the focus was on highway 49 and how it closely paraleled old rivers and were capped with lava. Much of that is still untouched.
Yep, its out there.
I pick up a 4 gram nug back in the early 90s still have it. Didn't even get the pan wet. Did lots of dedging in El Do Co. Show me the Nuggets!!! I love the forgotten spots in the area. The Sierra was my back yard.
The Sierra Nevada is a great place to dig for gold!
@@ChrisRalph I got to spend years in Coloma and Lotus also. The History there is Amazing! Thanks again 👍
Awesome video! Thank you! I am just beginning to read your book!👍
Glad the video was helpful! I think you will like the book.
I'm going on two weeks vacation in February and plan on taking my new Harley Breakout on a roadtrip from Beaumont, Tx to Northern California to do a little panning. I hope to find some gold but honestly I just want to get away from civilization for a bit, do some S.O.T.A. activations, camping and a little bit of panning.
I need some serious R&R!
Check out the Auburn recreation area. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Great video I'm sure I'll be watching it again and again and again !!!!!! Happy Thanksgiving
Glad you liked it. Hope you are staying dry in the big storm and have a good Thanksgiving.
@@ChrisRalph I'm trying to but I always end up out in the rain for one reason or another !!!!
Better rain than the snow we got here!
Holy sheets! This is exactly the video I was hoping you’d have made! This is my hometown and these surrounding counties and districts are my stomping grounds! You truly are a master of gold knowledge and information like no one I’ve ever heard from before! Man, thank you for taking the time to do all these videos! You are a GREAT Teacher and very understandable as well as fun to listen to😬You make this stuff even more interesting just by your demeanor alone. How can I ever thank you enough??? I can’t and never will be able to but thanks 🙏 Millions of times over ! You are like a Mr.Miyagi and I’m like Daniel-San! Domo- arragato!
I thought this would be a very popular video when I made it, but instead very few people seem interested. I was going to make a series of them but the low popularity put an end to that. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
I have your book, and I have found Fists full of Gold.
I truly enjoy hearing that. Best of luck in all your future prospecting as well. Glad you enjoyed the video.
You can add the Bear river day use and campground near Colfax, also the Bear at Dog Bar road. Lots of flood gold !!
Yup, that is true and I have prospected there myself, even dredged there back in the day...
Great video I’m in humboldt and have done a lot of prospecting near Denny. Looking forward to reading your books. Cheers brother.
I've dug gold in the Denny area - its been years but I've worked there. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
I have found gold in san diego it's all over the place I was going to the fallbrook gem and mineral society and saw a creek couple scoops of dirt with a spoon in the ten inch pan wash ,swirl ,wash ,swirl ,wash and saw some little yellow specs even though I stopped the water swirling the little yellow specs did a perfect 90 degree drop (GOLD) anything else would keep swirling around in the pan it's every where boss maybe not as much as you want but everywhere in california 1/3 way through the book
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Very good info thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Shasta county is my home county. Now living in Indiana. Bummed I didn’t get into prospecting or even becoming interested before I moved. Thank goodness my entire family is still there so I can visit. I love this! French gulch had a bunch of amazing mining history plaques before the many fires. Good vid.
There certainly is gold in Indiana. See my video on that: th-cam.com/video/lJoRt5Un9SE/w-d-xo.html
🧜♀️💭👌
Thanks for the informative video Chris.
I'm in the middle of reading your book now.
Aaron
That's great. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Awesome info. Learned a lot and I've lived in California my whole life.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you, very informative. I live in Southern Oregon and it was nice to see to colored maps showing gold bearing areas extending up into OR.
Glad it was helpful! The NW gold country of California goes up into the SW of Oregon.
instaBlaster...
Ty so much for sharing your knowledge, I look forward to learning more, and applying it in the field.🤙🏼
You are welcome.
B.T.W. Love your videos and thank you for your selfless instructional videos, I will be buying some of your books as soon as I head home in the next month or two.
I pray that you have an awesome and Happy Thanksgiving, take care and God's speed!
Thanks much. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Great content. You just got a new subscriber. Im an entrepreneur and do a very large amount of cache hunting here in the Midwest. Im in Indiana. Even for someone like me who is very interested in stuff like this it’s hard to get a feel for what the current prospecting climate is and what opportunities are still plentiful. This was really enlightening and made me start to seriously think about adding some well planned prospecting trips out to California. Thanks
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. You know there is gold in Indiana, right? Check out my video on Midwest gold.
GREAT VIDEO! Thanks so much for sharing! Im buying your book now!
Awesome! Thank you! I'm sure you will enjoy the book.
Middle Fork Baby. Wild country hard to get to = good gold
Which middle fork? Feather? Yuba? American?
@@ChrisRalph Feather. It's protected so no claims. Fun place to go on a backpacking trip. Better yet if you have some rafting buddies.
I see what you did there...Sacramento *west* to Colfax!
They’ll never get there! Brilliant! 🤔😉😄
🖖😎👍
Ooops, Colfax is east of Sacramento.
Thanks for the info Chris really appreciate it
Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for the info. I'm out of Auburn and thars gold in them thar hills. You can't go panning around here and NOT get gold in every pan
The mother lode foothills are for sure a great place top look for gold.
I'm planning on trying to pan for my first time in the American River
Best of luck to you. It takes time to learn, its a skill. I've found some nice gold panning on the American.
Where can I find some old 1800/1900 maps of Montana
I'd search the internet. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
You should sell a spiral bound Version of the book.
It would be easier to theme through to read...
I had a guy ask for a hard bound edition too. It costs a lot to have it in multiple formats.
Been doing a lot of looking around the backside of Georgetown ( I live and have a life time of prospecting the southern side of the divide ) the " Oxbow " convergence has some real interesting old workings in the canyon. Found better gold on that side...
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
Good video, Chris.... Love your book too....thanks again..!
Thanks for the kind words of support. I have a number of videos in the pipeline and coming out soon. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you sir!
You are welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Very well done video Chris. I will have to get your book.
I think you'll like it. Glad you enjoyed the video.
I am so glad you posted this video your videos are so awesome you really going to detail I've learned so much from you I've also wanted to know where did you go to school for your mining engineering degree I'm looking to enroll sometime in the next year or so I'm currently on a trip right now from Huntington Beach California to Coeur d'Alene Idaho and I have been prospecting the whole way up and I have really used this video to find spots to go and find gold you have been so helpful I couldn't tell you how much gold that you actually got me especially on this trip I just left mineral bar and I'm heading up to the north fork of the yuba River if it wasn't for this video I wouldn't have a clue but some of the best gold I have found on this trip surprisingly were when I pulled over to sleep in my truck I didn't realize I was next to the American River I pulled out my detector and I found a monster 4 to 6 oz nugget literally right outside my driver door 6 in under the ground it goes to show you prospect no matter where you are if your feet are on the ground you should prospect me I've had some thoughts about your videos you said that you were going to do more States Coeur d'Alene Idaho has been known to produce some pretty good goals nothing on the scale of California but enough to get Wyatt Earp and countless others to step foot into Idaho they had people filing claims on ground without even looking and because of the snow and where the markers were there were people filing claims on top of claims because they had heard that there was gold just tossed throughout the fields and that it was loaded there's a lot of tragic history in Wallace Idaho I'm sure you might be familiar of mine collapses in the silver mines I was a kid when they collapsed on different occasions one of my friends had Dad's and stuff that worked in there a lot of great history that shouldn't be forgotten I'll be in Coeur d'Alene for the next at least few months possibly make a permanent residence again if you're ever in the area feel free to contact me my email is bjohns7489@gmail.com if you email me I'll give you my number keep up the good work and always remember no matter where you are prospecting.
Prospector Johns
I grew up in Downey - not far from Huntington Beach. Started college at Long Beach State. I got my degree in Mine Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno. That part of the university is now called the Mackey school of Earth Sciences and Engineering.
Very informative! It’s great that you illustrate your video with maps! Is it necessary to look for mining claims on these mining dumps and bench gravels?
Mining claim owners won the mineral rights. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Appreciate very much your sharing. Great information. God bless you!
Glad it was helpful!
Love this video! Thank you!
I wish more people liked it! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks
No problem
Great vid chris!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Good video. You had mentioned A place that I've gone to and done petty well there.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Have you ever tried to dive in the rivers out here? I dive the feather and yuba
Yep. Underwater prospecting is not unusual.
Thank you for the info.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Ok so can you explain how to stake a claim in northern california??
I already did - Watch this video: th-cam.com/video/1OSzRh1Da74/w-d-xo.html
Can I pan for gold on creeks and rivers of public land like National Forest and BLM?
And is there a website to reference to figure out if someone has a claim already somewhere?
Not all public lands, but most National Forest and BLM. Mining claim law is a whole topic unto itself, I have videos on that, you should watch them. My first recommendations are to read my book, and join a prospecting club in your area.
Is that the Diggins up above North San Juan I've been there my brother took me there for the first time three years ago
No, but its in Northern California.
Is it near Chaulk Bluff or You Bet? Hydraulic mining was done near there. Grandpa shared many amazing stories with me when I was young.
Hi Chris. I just purchased a home in Valley Springs CA. It borders the calaveras river maybe a couple of miles down stream of Hogan lake. Looking forward to prospecting the property once we get keys in hand. I'm purchasing your book on Amazon tonight. Maybe we can meet up sometime. Thank you for your hard work and sharing your knowledge. Daniel.
Sounds great. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Hello Daniel, I am in Modesto CA. I bought a gold detector and been looking for friends to go out gold detecting and prospecting. Let me know if you would be interested. Thanks 😊
@@igori2311 I would but I am living in Arizona now.
Be prepared to find a lot of nails and bullets. Private property and gold mine claims are always a major issue. By the way, I called Malakaoff Diggins State Park they said nope can’t take anything out of the park. I know this comment is negative; it’s just been my experience. Hopefully with this book and a little effort you’ll have much more success than I have. Good luck.
A number of places on the internet say there is an area along Humbug Creek where panning is allowed. With that said, sometimes rules do change. On top of that, its been my experience that you ask 5 park employees the same question and you get 5 different answers. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Great video
Thanks!
Just found your channel and I really enjoy it! Would you have any tips on prospecting the north fork of the stanislaus river above Arnold CA? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, stay safe, and have a wonderful day!
There are thousands of places in Northern California where gold has been found, I dont have any suggestions about the NF Stanislaus.
Thanks!
No problem!
If this is real gold, then I threw many in childhood while fetching firewood playing within the rocks. My grandmother told me that's what their parents used for making mola for engagement I can't remember those place
Best of luck to you in your prospecting. I hope you find more gold.
Chris, listen to me. I found one of those million oz spots
That's great for you. Congratulations.
@@ChrisRalph I wish I could send you pictures but it won’t allow me for some reason is there an email I can send you I really don’t know what to do Chris I think I need to go to the county and fill out a claim because this is unreal I mean this is unreal I mean you can come over and share this with me this is just unreal I think it’s one of those hard rock discoveries I’m just blown away right now I haven’t even scratch the surface I’m just like staring at it and picking up huge pieces of gold I shit you not I wish I could send a picture when I try to do is I’ll try to put it on TH-cam
I get huge numbers of people every day who want me to get involved with their project and help them, teach them, advise them, etc. I have many projects and family commitments of my own and cannot respond to all the people who ask for my time. I am just too busy. I wish you the best of luck but I cannot get involved.
can you give us locations for metal detecting in northern california
Did you watch the video?
@@ChrisRalph I saw locations for panning but didn't see for metal detecting
Many of those locations are the same.
What kinda problem people face traveling countries with carrying metal detector ???
It all depends on which countries you are coming from and which ones you are going to. Different countries have different laws and rules.
What about the clubs you’re talking about in Northern California so I can go prospecting there with a metal detector
Yes, the clubs allow detecting on their claims.
If this is real gold, then I threw many in childhood while fetching firewood playing within the rocks. I can't remember those place
Best of luck to you in your prospecting. I hope you find more gold.
Chris I have bought your book and it very informative and teaches the right way to the beginner which I am I'm retired now have been looking for something to fill days do you have any physical classes ortours
Just too much already on my plate, I dont offer any tours or classes. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Great video :)
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
You think there’s gold in the Coastal ranges of Monterey county CA ?
No question about it - there is gold in a few places not as many as in the Sierra Nevada. Do some reseach and find that there was gold mined from the beach sands. The Los Burros gold district was very productive and is in southwestern Monterey County in the Santa Lucia Mountains. It is about 80 miles south of Monterey and four miles east of Cape San Martin. Download a copy of GOLD DISTRICTS OF CALIFORNIA, By William B. Clark BULLETIN 193. You can find free, downloadable copies by researching on Google. You can find more information in that publication.
Thanks Chris , I will download all this info . Great content on your video
Hello sir sorry to bother you but I found a huge vien of quartz that has a lot of clusters of what looks like the same color as silver,do you know what this might be?Thank you for your time.
.
No, I could not say. Watch this video and learn how to identify minerals for yourself: th-cam.com/video/MpkW58ZeQlc/w-d-xo.html
Very cool
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Where is the best place to bring your family where they can spend a few days gold panning?
mineral Bar near Colfax, off I-80.
Serious question, is there a way to find enough gold to make a decent profit?
If you are a raw newbie with no assets and no experience prospecting, the answer is no, just not possible. On the other hand, I make a good living based on my prospecting income.
The county of Siskiyou is pronounced si·skuh·yoo
OK.
On topic that I haven't heard covered. Turning your gold into cash. How does one go about it. Pros & cons etc.
Take a look through my older videos as I have done several videos on this topic.
come to illinois, and maybe you could help me find gold .great vid
I haven't been to Illinois in 30 years and have no plans to do so in the foreseeable future. Glad you enjoyed the video.
If you don't mind what do you think the best club to join in northern ca
Auburn Goldhounds, in my opinion.
I need help finding a claim.. how do I get help.. I'm in Placerville
Join a local prospecting club.
How can I reach you
You've reached me here. What do you want to ask?
@13:20 you stated conductive. Didn't you actually mean conducive? No disrespect sir, you're at the top of this food chain.
Well, the faults I mentioned conduct the mineral bearing fluids upward to where they cool and form veins and gold deposits.So I don't think conductive is the wrong word.
I'm from California and growing up everytime I found "gold" my papa and mama would say it's "Fools gold" but it's in the areas you say are high gold. How do I tell the difference and have I been the fool 😂
I dont know what you found in the past, but I intend to do a video on how to tell gold from fools gold and other minerals that trick some people soon.
Pyrite ( foolsgold) will crush into pieces if you hit with a hammer, gold will mash, staying intact
Hey Chris new subscriber here. Iam planning a trip to Arizona in December could you give me a little help on finding a good spot to metal detect. I will be in the Salome area but I can drive all over. Thank you.
Don' t know the area around Salome very well. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks for the info... oh thanks for peddeling you website & amazon book for sale.... pppffftttt
Some people want to learn. Others do not. You appear to be the second type. Oh, and I think you should work your job for free.
Mr. Smartpants.... I retired from work at 50 yrs old... I never need to work again, and I know more than you are trying to assume I do.... keep that great attitude as a youtuber...typical, can't handle a little critical comment well... Lmao
Yet look how much you felt you needed to justify that I was wrong in my critical comments.....
And still you think you need to have the last comment... I was ok with your video, until it became a commercial for Amazon books & a website... If you wanna do a youtube video on your website or Amazon books seperate, fine..
You will not have the last comment
@@ChrisRalph 😁 I wouldn't trip much poor guy is liking his own comment.... I appreciate your info
It’s all claimed up there in 2022, even the old hydraulic pits, Covid gold rush I guess 🙄 I stayed with family in Folsom the summer of 96’, was working the pits above Nevada City .. and was finally driven out by mosquitos, pulled a 3gm nugget out of a pit and said screw it .. the torture from the bugs .. even wearing a REI mosquito net hat that covered my face .. just was not worth it anymore 😡 lol.
You are just wrong. Is it all claimed up? NO. But I agree if you just want to sit around and take it easy, this is not an activity for couch potatoes. The sun is hot, sometimes there are mosquitoes, sometimes you have to hike and climb around. Digging up a large number of targets can hurt your back. Its hard work - not easy riches.
California has no right to disallow the citizens of lawful activities. No Ex Post Facto laws. We The People
The people of California duly elected the whack job officials who set the laws. It's what the majority want. The big coastal cities are heavily democratic.,
Is all this info in your book
The book is mostly about how to find gold when you get there with only a little about where you should go.
@@ChrisRalph Good enough gonna buy one
can you find gold in nyc
There are a couple of YT videos that you can find tiny traces of gold dust in the gutters of the jewelry district in NYC. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Oh I’m drunk on my discovery
OK.
Fools gold, lol
your comment.... LOL
@ChrisRalph you are trying to sell a pipe dream Brother, please leave our land be, for awhile. Ty
Brother, you drive a car, burn fossil fuel to heat your house and cook, you own a cell phone and use it, consume power from the electric companies, wear clothes made of plastics and other synthetics that come from oil in the ground. What a hypocrite! Go back to living like it was 500 BC, and then tell me I ought to leave the land be. You are the one who is paying all the bills for the mines , big oil, big pharma, etc - you pay them to produce the products you condemn!
@@ChrisRalph you don't know what your talking about
LOL - you have no idea of the reality of the world you live in.
Another solid video! I cant help but continue to watch video after video. Thank you for your countless time producing them! Would love to mine with you sometime!
Thanks! lots more videos coming.
Giving back I think I stumbled on undiscovered VEIN LOADED
Best of luck to you!
Omg omg I think you will know about this find and history will definitely record this I am still in so much shock I want to see if I can send you a picture of just a couple of the samples I haven’t even we got into one layer everything I got to get a claim oh my God do you want to hear about this you wanna know oh Chris I don’t know how to thank you for your authenticity and your honesty and your knowledge and you’re just greatness I listen to you Yeah you’re gonna want to hear about this one man I am still in shock man I am still in shock I’m gonna see if I can send you a picture and kind of off the grid kind of off the grid Chris
@@michaelpaul2581 put down the meth pipe you sound like a wierdo dude
Thank you very much)))
You are welcome!
This is nice but How likely is it that you would be claim jumping on most of your map
Learning to do research on land status and potential areas to prospect is a whole skill in itself that would take many hours to learn. I have a video on claim staking and will do more on this but doing research is a big topic to learn. That's why for new guys I recommend joining a club to get you started. Here is my video on claim staking: th-cam.com/video/1OSzRh1Da74/w-d-xo.html
Hi Chris, I live in Paradise CA... Im not sure where you are located but I sure am glad I found this video! I just recently found my passion for finding crystals & that is what brought me to your channel! I've always known I had a more than normal attraction to earth science & nature's history
under our feet!
THANK YOU💖
By the way (btw) My mother has 6 acres in Loomis CA. Her property has ancient indian grinding stones which are huge granite boulders buried with the tops exposed, which were noticeably used for grinding. Do you have any info regarding these ancient sites? 💖
That is awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I dont have any info on ancient Indian sites.
I knew a women in that area. She worked for my father. she was indian and had quite a few goats. she had many huge granite boulders on her property.I seem to recall she lived near Loomis Penryn area. @@nikkilovesrocks
I'm gonna get out to that side of our great country someday soon .
It is a great country - at least for now...
Well I'll be sure to bring my guns . at least the CA legal ones . lol .